Pike County trio plead guilty to deer poaching

Three Pike County men pled guilty to several wildlife-related offenses stemming from an August 3 incident that involved the killing of two deer during the early morning hours.

News Eagle - Hawley, PA

Writer

Posted Oct. 25, 2010 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 25, 2010 at 2:25 AM

Posted Oct. 25, 2010 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 25, 2010 at 2:25 AM

Pike County, Pa.

Three Pike County men pled guilty to several wildlife-related offenses stemming from an August 3 incident that involved the killing of two deer during the early morning hours.

Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Mark Kropa filed the charges, in the office of District Justice Alan Cooper, against Daniel Edwin Hipsman, 19, Shohola; Kory James Wilson, 19, Milford; and Sea Patrick Deming, 18, Milford, after a concerned citizen called in a description of the vehicle involved in the unlawful acts.

WCO Kropa, with the assistance of Shohola Township Police Chief Scott Carney and added information from WCO Bob Johnson, of Pike County, located the vehicle and suspects later in the day.

The investigation revealed all three men killed a deer with buckshot and using the headlights of the vehicle around 3:30 a.m. After partially butchering the animal, they travelled to the Delaware River to dump the carcass. While in route, they shot at and killed a second deer, but failed to retrieve the animal. This deer was found about 60 yards from a local residence.

Hipsman was charged and pled guilty to two counts for using a motor vehicle to locate game, and one count each of shooting on or across highways, shooting within a safety zone, unlawful use of lights while hunting, and the unlawful taking of game or wildlife. He was fined $2,875 plus court costs.

Wilson pled guilty to unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife and the unlawful use of lights while hunting, for which he was fined $1,075, plus court costs. Deming pled guilty to the unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife, using a motor vehicle to locate game, unlawful use of lights and a safety zone violation, for which he ordered to pay $2,000 plus court costs. All three face the loss of their hunting and trapping privileges for several years.

Game Commission Northeast Region Law Enforcement Supervisor Dan Figured added that, had these unlawful acts occurred after September 7, the individuals would have faced substantially higher fines and possibly several months in jail under the new Act 54 poaching laws.